Kisses Come From the Soul Too
by PrinceSal
Summary: [Tin Man] Takes place during the end to right after the movie. Deals with Cain's thoughts, as well as some of Glitch's. Cain considers his wife Adora, and who she reminds him of very much so. CainGlitch pairing
1. Kisses From the Soul

Title: Kisses Come From the Soul Too

Author: Me! Essee

Series: Tin Man

Rating: PG-13 (because there is kissing)

Warning: Kissing between grown men, mention of death and blood, SPOILERS!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tin Man, nor the characters in it, I just wanted to play for a little bit.

Author Note: When I was watching Tin Man I couldn't help but fangirl stuff, so here it is. I do not have a beta, so this is spell checked and my checked. If you plan to flame this please flame the story, and not me. Thank You.

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Ambrose. 

It took one saying of that name in that almost snooty, I'm-higher-and-smarter-than-thou voice for him to hate that name. But it wasn't the reason most would expect. If he spoke of it, most would think that it was because it was spoken in such a way that you wanted to yank the normally confused and misfiring-synapses companion away so that no one would have to hear him speak and feel themselves belittled. But that wasn't it at all, it was because he hadn't heard the name Ambrose at first, his mind had superimposed it... all he had heard was Adora. His Adora, and while he was busily trying to type out the numbers that would have been the correct coding to shut down the machine, he was doing his best to hide the fact that he was watching his late wife being beaten and killed by the hands of Zero... the cold calculating man that was no forever locked into his own iron tomb. He needed a distraction as he couldn't help but feel it over and over and over again. The same anger, the same confusion... and out of it all came smiles, but he wouldn't let anyone know how much his heart truly ached. Why couldn't he had been made of metal and not have a true heart? Why couldn't he be what everyone called him? A Tin Man... A man without feeling, a man without a heart.

But he wasn't, he laughed and cried and feared and fought and admired and hated. Oh how he hated. As the words were spoken, helped along by a quickly tiring RAW, he wanted so much to just shoot the brain already, finish this entire thing, finish it all... denying the fact of why he had heard Adreanna's name... why he was seeing her face... why he was wishing that the easy going boggle minded man was back. He pushed it all to the back of his own mind, trying to keep the process going. For one fluttering moment his mind went to DG, but his head knew all the stories, and knew that good was always going to win over evil. That's just how it was, Azkadelia... no... the Witch... would be vanquished from the world even if they failed. Instead his eyes were focused on the brain being fed upon; being kept alive... it was its entire fault. Why hadn't he been smart enough to keep the blue prints but change them so that the machine would always fail... fall just short of perfection? The Queen's advisor was suppose to be the smartest man in the O.Z... but Cain couldn't see that at all. At least not right now.

One more number.

It was all the needed, one more number and the machine would be finished... it would all be over... or the direct problem of the eclipse would be fixed. The sorceress would still have to be dealt with, but that is what the kid was suppose to be doing. All they needed to do was shut down Ambrose... shut down that brain... quiet up that voice that made him angry, uneasy, and worried all at the same time. Dear Ozma, please forgive him from his thoughts of wanting to put a big bullet right through it... even as he thought about it he could picture Glitch's face, watching as it crumpled into hopelessness at the loss of all the memories he wanted so much to get back... remember... return to his high intelligence.

Then everything exploded into pain, and went black. He heard the screams, heard the fear... heard the machine being turned back on and heard Glitch trying to confuse the numbers, being muffled quite easily... and that made the ex-Tin Man angry. He didn't know what made him angrier, and wouldn't want to say what made him angrier either... just that he was, and didn't want to divulge in it. All that was needed once more was seeing Adora, her smiling face now speckled with blood, his son who wasn't able to give him a real hug after seeing him in years, and he was up on his feet again. On the attack, on the defense. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Glitch fighting, felt the tightening in his chest as the man that should have been pure intellect moved with a fluid grace that was him dancing from his soul. It'd be a lie if he said it didn't take his breath away... but he couldn't think of that right now... if they survived that would be later that he could contemplate on why he couldn't look away. The rest happened so fast, Raw gaining courage, standing up to the hairless minion scientist... him crouching next to an unconscious Glitch he chose to slap awake, and well deserved the indignant "Do I know you!!?" and with the smile, one that for a moment made something in Glitch's eyes widen slightly, "G'Mornin' Sweetheart."... Cain kicking himself for letting what definitely wasn't his mind, do the talking, and they were back at the brain... and Glitch being to worried to concentrate and connect with his own brain.

Here was his chance, here was the chance he got, and taking out his gun he pointed it directly at Ambrose... the brain, not the once-upon-a-time-used-to-be man. With almost a grin of satisfaction he readied the trigger, and cared very little if the other would figure out the number. This was the deserved revenge he wanted, it was all Ambrose's fault. He had been to smart, he had figured out to many things, invented to many 'tools', and he'd continue to do so. How many other people would come after this brain to use it negatively? How many others would be hurt because someone got a hold of it and was exploiting it? How many more Adora's were there going to be. But he hesitated, he hesitated as he heard the desperation in one of his companion's voices. He didn't fire away when he should have, because his own heart ached, and he knew that Adora would never allow him to destroy something so precious to someone else. And a little voice deeper inside him that sounded so much like his late wife whispered that he'd never actually hurt Glitch, that he didn't want to see the other loose the hope he tried to inspire in others... there were more whispers, but by the third one he had to drone it out quickly, or risk looking like a fool.

Then the numbers were said as if a bright light shown down upon them and punching them in... 1208... The Queen's Birthday. Pull the lever, and he heard it shutting down, felt the commotion subsiding, becoming eerily quiet. To quiet... then drifting down they all heard it, singing. DG's voice having finally traveled down to them and hearing her lilting tune, and then more screams, and looking up at the ceiling inky darkness... ichor... the consistency of congealed blood... seemed to be forming on the ceiling, about to drip down... as if it had a mind of its own. Quick blue eyes assessed the situation quickly, and without warning a drop fell, Raw was over to the side helping the smaller seer, but Glitch? He was staring at his brain like it was the most valuable treasure in the world, and it was where the ilk was dropping. He didn't think, that was most obvious, and his actions propelled him forwards until he had knocked Glitch away just in time for the melted witch to drop onto the ground where he had been standing. But if anything he wasn't focused on that at all. Instead he was focused very much so on the brunet that was underneath him, Glitch was looking confused... not upset, but clearly not understanding what had just happened. That confusion ended though and turned to fear as Cain leaned his face closer. The blue eyed ex-cop was able to smell Glitch this close... a distinct smell of fresh hay, which made him guess that before the adventure he decided that hay was the softest resting place. He watched as eyes turned into surprise, and about inches away from the lips of the zipper-headed Advisor, his own heart hammering in his throat, making it very well known that it existed, Raw managed to have learned that the black goop was infact the evil queen, and was roaring with delight. Ruining not only the moment, but the mood... leaving a man that had not had any real form of semi-sensual contact for at least 10 years doing his best to play off that he was not just about to do what he was going to do. Glitch seemed to have forgotten in an instant, and was standing up, brushing himself off... complaining that of course the brainless one was the one tackled the ground, and that he should be glad that he was not suffering of broken bones.

----

Having made there way up to the room that held the Queen, King and now there two daughters... reunited. Cain felt a pang of sadness, knowing that he'd never real have anything like this again. He could try with his son, but he was trained to notice when things were nearly past fixable... his son was one of them. The boy had grown up into a man, a man that probably blamed his father a little bit for what had happened... there wouldn't be that closeness that the four royals showed as they hugged. But he kept up the good face of victory as DG decided to hug her own group. He tried to get swept away in the love and the victory, but felt only empty pain in his heart, more so as she turned back to her own family, looking out at the O.Z as light began to refill the land. "Now that's the O.Z I remember." And as Cain looked out as well he could only think _it's not what I remember_, and was almost ready to turn and walk away with the remark to see what guards were left in rebellion when he felt a hand grab onto his. It was dry, but smooth, and warm... and unable to restrain himself from looking down, followed the hand up to mismatched ragtag clothes, and the face of Glitch; who had on a rather interesting smile, raising a finger to his lips to motion 'shh' as well as "Even without my brain I think a synapse actually fired correctly. I won't tell if you won't." Said in a quick whisper as his eyes returned to look at the Royal family. Cain just gripped the hand tighter, blinking furiously to keep the tears at bay, letting his hat fall over his face just enough to hide them.

Raw was the one that suggested that they give the family time to find their places again, the seer knew of the different emotions in the room, and had his own to see to, and planned to. The visioneer felt the heart of those in the room and knew that healing was needed, and the road would be long, but it was possible because everyone's heart was strong. He also couldn't help but roughly chuckle at the two next to him, they weren't fooling anyone except maybe themselves. Ushering the four from the room, he scooped up the little one of his species and turned back to the ex-cop and ex?-advisor, "I go talk to little one." And with the bundle safe, and already staring to wiggle with excitement of the fact that they knew this was over, he padded down the corridor, feeling stronger than ever before... braver, wiser, happier. He didn't look back at the other two as he left, Raw didn't need to, to know what was happening. The smaller seer was already asking questions about what they felt, but Raw decided not to tell just yet.

Cain tried to let go of the hand that held his, but as soon as he did Glitch's hold just got tighter, as if he knew what the other was trying to do. The stood in silence for long enough that it allowed thoughts to roam, he searched for his lovely wife in his mind. He saw her smiling, that accepting look of hers she always had when he told her what was going on in the O.Z, and he felt the arms around his neck, thinking to himself that she was always so warm and loving. She was always willing to give her whole heart up to love, and she did so every day. Adora's eyes told him whatever he wanted to know, they reflected her emotions; her happiness, her sadness, her love, her pain, her fear. Cain loved her with all he could love with, he had given his heart to her... it had been buried with her... he could feel it beating in her grave and he had felt her give it back to him. It stung, but she wanted him to love, to be able to love, to be able to find someone that would look at him the same way she used to. With that last thought he was pulled from his memories, and turned his head to look at Glitch.

Glitch who was able to smile, who was able to make a joke, who had lost himself but was able to carry on. Glitch who fought like fluid, who was strong, who persevered when most would have given up... whose eyes told a story. Glitch who would get his brain back and not be Glitch anymore... he'd be Ambrose. "You're going to get your brain back." He saw the happiness that exploded over the others face, saw the light spark up in his eyes, "yeah, I'll finally remember who I am... it sucks though, I'm sure to have brain damage from powering the 'dark seeder'... so people better not be angry when they don't get pure Ambrose again." There was more silence, there hands still locked, as Cain stared at the man who just admitted that he wouldn't be as smart as he once was, and probably never would be. Taking a deep breath, he heard the pesky little Adora voice pushing at his own brain... and wasn't able to keep his mouth shut.

"My wife... Adora... she used to love to dance. She had this grace to her that I've only seen in one other person." Cain spoke quietly, as if afraid to say it.

"I remember that name... Adora... no, wait... I forget." Glitch looked back at Cain, trying to smile off his inability to remember, "You know, I love to dance too. It comes from the soul not the br-" He words were cut off as suddenly the Tin Man's lips pressed against his own... the grip on his hand changing to his wrist to hold him in place as rough lips played against his own. He felt his eyes sliding closed as he let himself fall into the sensations. He didn't let his empty head wonder if he was a cheap replacement for a lost wife, or that Cain was finally grieving and trying to deal with it, or even that it was adrenalin and excitement though his veins. The kiss was messy, there was no grace to it. With no one to stop them, the kiss turned deeper, teeth clicking together, biting, and almost bordering on something that appeared violent. It was just bare want, or need. When it was finally paused, breath was short, and blood was dizzying to other locations and making everything seem fuzzy. Glitch blinked several times, and when the silence was just about to go into uncomfortable he started laughing. Not mocking laughing, but nice surprised laughter. Cain looked decidingly uncomfortable with the fact that his kisses brought on laughter, he thought it was rather a good kiss... different, but not funny.

"what?"

Glitch just gave him a grin, and pulled Cain towards him to press a softer kiss to the others lips, "I was going to say you should have done that earlier, but I think that DG's mind would have gotten as broken as mine." He thought it was funny, uproariously funny infact as he started laughing again. "You aren't upset? I might be usi-" Glitch just shook his head,

"I like kissing just as much as dancing, with good intents they both come from the soul." And as the advisor leaned in for another kiss, his arms wrapping around Cain's neck, Cain couldn't help but think about how warm he was, and how his eyes seemed to convey every emotion. Kissing is from the soul... Adora used to say the same thing.


	2. Who Is She?

Title: Kisses Come From the Soul Too

Chapter 2

Author: Essee! Me!

Series: Tin Man

Rating: PG-13 (that means no smex… sorry)

Warning: Same as last chapter. There will also be mentions of science that shouldn't work, so don't squick and get mad at me for it.

Author Note: Because this fic wouldn't leave me alone, and I already have something of an idea of where I want to go with it, I decided to write another chapter. So yeah, you're all in trouble, hopefully this one isn't as choppy as the last one admits it was choppy admits that this one will probably be choppy too

Chapter Two : Who is she?

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Today was the day.

Glitch walked nervously down the hall, every part of his body seemed to be itching, filled with fire and sparking. He jumped at shadows, he winced at loud noises, and he kept on finding solace in the room that held his own brain. Some would say that he was withdrawing from others around him, but it wasn't so, because often enough he ended up forgetting most things and was still the happy-go-lucky carefree Glitch. Well he wasn't carefree exactly, he had his worries and his extremes, and confusion. It was about a week from the defeat of the Wicked Witch, a week since he had felt the first touch of fire that was held within Cain… Wyatt… though the first and last time that he had called him Wyatt he had been glared at and Cain had quickly exited the room… he was unhappy about something, and Glitch noticed it. It wasn't like that day. The day when after they pressed their lips together hands roamed and Glitch had found himself sporting very bright colored bruises all down his neck. There had been exclamations and screams of … well one can imagine what there were screams of. But since then the Tin Man had moved away. Every time Glitch went to touch him, at the last second before skin met skin the older man would shift away. Every time they got a chance to just be alone with each other Cain often made excuses so that he would be able to leave. It didn't take a brain to figure out that he was being avoided. So he had gone to visit himself. He'd stare at his brain in that strange green colored liquid. It was no longer powering anything, so now it seemed as if it wasn't alive, or that it wasn't needed. At one point he had tried talking to it, but had felt as if he was talking to himself, which made him feel strange because people weren't suppose to do that when they had brains… even if said brain was in a jar. So often enough it just was him sitting on the ground staring at it, thinking about what had happened after the witch was defeated. The goop was now off the floor, the only thing left was a black stain that seemed to have formed a circle around the tank. It made him uneasy, if only because he thought that the black was going to someone find its way into his gray matter and he'd become possessed too… and being possessed was NOT on his to do list.

So instead there was silence, and that silence was deafening. During it he thought, he used his empty head and the rest of his remaining synapses to think about things. His thoughts mostly traveled to Cain, he couldn't help it… he couldn't get his empty mind off of the Tin Man. He felt that he had made a breakthrough if only for a moment, when they had started to become intimate, he finally thought he was breaking through the outer shell of the untouchable heart. He felt awful now that what seemed to be something good and true had quickly been redrawn. The only other time that they had found themselves clinging to each other with lusty thoughts he had called him Adora, and he didn't know about other people but when you are trying to get to the point of sexual release with a very attractive man, and he addresses you by his late wife's name… well that ruins the mood for everyone, and it had been after that that Wy-Cain, had withdrawn. So now Glitch thought it was his fault, and having the time to sit with his brain, those thoughts were damning, and he was now certain that it was his fault. Maybe he was too stupid, or brainless, or slow, and Cain didn't like that. Well soon enough he would have his brain back, and while he'd probably never be a genius again, he'd be much smarter. He'd be able to give advice, he'd be able to read a book and not loose his track of thought. He'd be able to remember why the name Adora was plaguing his mind as much as it seemed to be going after Cain's.

He knew he knew that name. It was something that sounded so familiar to him, and so easy to think of that he wondered why he didn't remember it before. It felt like a name he had known for a really long time, like DG… or Lavender. It was a name that was ground into his mind like Azkadellia. He should never have forgotten it, but somehow he had. He forgot a lot of things, and every time he remembered something he had forgotten he felt bad. Why did he remember her? Was there something important he was suppose to tell her? Was there something important that she knew? He had no idea, but it was that fleeing memory that had scared him away from his own brain. Besides, soon he would have it back inside his own head, and he'd be able to find those memories, and he wouldn't be confused about why Cain's wife meant something to him as well. Everyone would be better off when he had his own brain. He kept telling himself that, and often said it when he was in the 'group', and pretended that he didn't see the pained expression on Cain's face when they spoke of Ambrose. Lavender had remarked that she'd be more than happy to have him back as her advisor once the surgery was a success. In fact, everything seemed to be going perfectly, except for the remnants of memories that circled in his mind. They were phantoms, pure phantoms, and while he really didn't want to admit it, but it scared him. There were so many things he couldn't remember, and so many things he was sure that he shouldn't forget that the fact of the matter was that he was afraid to get his thoughts back and find out something that had been sorely wrong.

Was he married?

Did he have children too?

Was he a mean and cruel person?

Did he dance?

What was his outside life like?

Would he disappear forever?

But there was no one to answer his questions, so he was left standing there and watching everyone else go by. He was left in the same place as he forgot everyone around him, as he forgot who he was slowly inch by inch. Every now and then there would be a thought that happened to make its way into his zippered head, a loose particle of thought that he jumped upon and proclaimed to all around him, even if there was no one. It was all trivial stuff, but rather monumental to him. He remembered folk of the O.Z, he remembered the deserts especially, the desert where things go and vanish forever… he could relate to it, and if that wasn't something on the rather pathetic side, he didn't know was… unfortunately he knew three people who would agree with him on the same idea. But he wouldn't always be like the desert, because today was the day (the rest of the rhyme plagued his mind as well, and caused a rather unsettling feeling in the base of his stomach. Today is the day we give babies away with a half a pound of tea… if you know any ladies that want any babies, just send them down to me. It made him consider the fact that he might be an awful type of a man who sells babies, or a worse type of man who gives woman the said babies and hushes them up with tea). He was going to get his brain back, he was going to be able to respond to his real name, Ambrose, which the Queen kept calling him as.

It was always 'Ambrose, can you get 'this' for me', and he'd go off to get it, ignoring the looks and the questions in other peoples eyes, he'd ignore the confusion that bloomed in his own mind like a ready rose… and by the time he was getting what she had asked for he had forgotten and walked off to do something else. If anything the Queen was patient, her patience showed brilliantly with her two daughters. DG… named after the Gray Gale as her father seemed to often point out; as if it was a badge of pride she should permanently wear; was often the topic of discussion, even with her in the room. They fawned over her as the lost princess having finally returned, and by the deadpan look she gave most of them, and the monotone with some sarcasm mixed into voice she used to address them, it was a question why she was so amazing to everyone. Even Azkadellia doted upon her. Often enough she had taken to braiding her little sister's hair, or singing songs, or getting her to play games. It was understandable enough, Az had missed out on most if not all of her growing years. She never got to really have the first kiss that many people dreamed of, she never got to make her own decisions… no one seemed to understand more that Glitch that she had been a prisoner of her body for so long that she had forgotten how she was suppose to act with it. So while DG went off about motorcycles, and how she missed hers, and wondered if there was someway to create it here, he had made a promise of it, even before he had had a chance to consider what he was promising, Lavender had taken to talking with Azkadellia. She brushed her eldest daughter's hair, she made sure that she ate properly, she asked her questions of the ancient picture texts… she asked her questions about when the first of The Slippers came. It may have seemed like friendly motherly care, but it was held like an investigation… Glitch felt sorry for her. All she wanted was to find her place in life; he knew that feeling all to well.

It didn't help that he seemed to be on a permanent ignore list from the one person he wanted to fit with (it sounded dirty even when he considered what he was thinking on the method of fitting). Cain gave him a headache as well as aches of other things, and Glitch had taken a moment to mentally entertain the idea that he was the Queen's advisor because he could be trusted around her and not thought to try and take advantage and touch her inappropriately. He had no idea if he should feel good or bad about it, but whatever it was, his choice was taken away from him because the Tin Man was doing a good job of making him feel awful. Even now as he was proceeding down the hall to what would be his future, Cain was bouncing off the empty walls of his cranium. He pictured him talking about Adora, something he had taken to do a lot within the week. 'Adora was a terrible cook. I always ate what she served, even if most of what she served looked like blacken trout, even the vegetables.' 'Adora's favorite flower was poppies… she said she had trouble sleeping, and would eat one of the seeds before she went to be sure that she would get a good nights rest.' 'Adora liked to tell stories to our son, she could make things come to life that often enough I thought she was half witch and was creating spells as she spoke.' 'Adora' 'Adora' 'Adora'. It was enough to make Glitch scream, and once he almost did though had enough control to keep his mouth shut, especially when what he wanted to scream was 'Addy didn't tell you everything you know!!'. When had he began to call her Addy? When had he first called her Addy?

This was getting confusing.

Soft soled shoes hitting the ground with each step, he was suppose to report to the room down the hall, Lavender had set up a medical facility there, and getting some of her attendants back… they all had hair if he was allowed to remark… they had prepared the room for the surgery. She was going to be there as well, along with DG and Azkadellia, pumping the room full of so much healing magic that if something were to go wrong at one point it was completely fixable. Raw had asked not to be there, he was actually training what was a very young protégé, and was afraid that the stress of transferring a brain back into its owners head with all the visions and extreme emotions going through the room, amplified with magic, that it would be to much for either of them. Glitch had to applaud the courageous man, it was a strong form of courage to admit you couldn't handle something, and Glitch had a feeling that when he had said that, it had been the first thing that was positive information that the echoes of his mind had managed to produce. Maybe that was why they wanted to give him his brain back sooner, it made sense after all, if he had these little pearls of wisdom, then who knows what else was in store for everyone. Moving swifter down the hall, his raggedy coat that had most certainly seen better days, flared out behind him. Underneath that he was wearing the brown pants, except now they were clean and not caked with dirt and mud… after a questioning glance once they were washed he was confused to learn that they were burgundy, and he spent something of a good half our walking around forgetting they were his pants and proceeding to try and find the real owner of them. It had been one of the few times that he had been able to talk to Cain without him spewing off about his wife, or making up excuses to leave… the blond man had managed to explain that they were Glitch's pants. Who else would wear such an obviously Glitch induced color? That had caused laughter, and Glitch didn't think about it anymore after that. His hair was clean too. What an odd challenge that was, washing his hair… if anyone else has a zipper on the top of their skull, they know what a pain it is when you manage to have left it slightly open and it fills with soapy water. They also know how much it hurts when you get soap in your eyes from the inside! Blech! That was something he was looking forward to forgetting.

So close to the large double doors, there was a little extra skip in his step. How could there not be. And with a smile on his face he reached the doors, opening them light spilt through, blinding him at first but his eyes soon became accustom to it. But what he saw made him nervous, and for a moment everything switched channels, like some obnoxious child with a remote somewhere. "Hello. Do I know you?" Even the reset button couldn't hold back the knowledge that he was sure this wasn't exactly correct.

---- ---- ---- ----

Earlier Today:

"Are you sure Azkadellia?" Lavender's voice was stern with worry, worry over the truth of the matter, worried over the possibilities of what her eldest daughter just told her. She knew that she had had access to the Wicked Witches thoughts, but she never thought that such knowledge would bring forth such terrible news. The purple eyes looked fearful as she paced back in forth. With every turn her periwinkle dress would flair around her, it was tight in the bodice and flared out immensely by the time it got to her feet, almost giving her the appearance of not actually having feet at all, and that she was merely floating where she walked. Her prematurely lightened hair was swinging in graceful waves down her back, and while she looked as young as her eldest, the wrinkles of worry that marred her forehead gave away that she was older than she looked. Turning yet again, hands wringing in nervousness. She looked at her daughter, waiting for an answer.

"Quite sure mother. Often the witch would taken hours, even days, contemplating her memories, thinking of the shoes, why they were important, what secrets they actually held. Why she wanted them so badly, why she needed them. She spoke often enough of her Eastern sister that I've come to know her as well as I know my… our… DG." The woman that was once the sorceress Azkadellia was now Princess Azkadellia, and it showed completely. There was no longer that darkness that seemed to fall over her all the time. There was no extreme sadness and loneliness in her eyes, and infact her rubied lips seemed to be turned upwards in a smile, even if they were just the shape her lips chose to go. Her own dress was much more suited for doing things, it was strong material and didn't require a tight bodice, nor ties. Infact it was cut to be at her neck, covering her ample bosom, and while it was long sleeves, she still wore gloves, having discovered that the black nails were rather permanent no matter how many times she cut them… at one point even ripping one off only to have it grow back into what resembled to herself as a black talon. It seems like forms of evil left there mark no matter what happened. Though she was sure that if her and DG worked together she could fix it there were two problems with that scenario. One was that she almost wanted to constant reminder, to tell her that she was taken and gave up her hope, and she should never allow that again, and two… she knew DG had yet to trust her, or more importantly, was not yet willing to help the O.Z repair what was needed. Even with her robot parents around, she still missed her old life, and whatever this thing called a 'motorcycle' was. It sounded like a monster, but if anyone could tame it, she knew it was going to be DG. But being besides the matter, her dark eyes trailed her mother as she paced back and forth, concentrating solely on the knowledge that her daughters interrogation had given her. Yes, Az knew an interrogation when she heard it, she had held many herself, and mainly because of the guilt that she had for doing such wrong things, she allowed it to continue. It had become a game almost, her mother asks a question, and she answered it point blank. Where did the game part come in? Well she would answer her mother with barebones answers, or exactly what she asked, 'Az… did the witch talk about her life from before?' 'Yes, Mother.' '…' '…' 'What did she say?' 'Many things mother.' '…' It had finally caught on that Lavender needed to ask direct questions in order to get an answer from her. Many people believed it was something called 'Post Traumatic Shock', but there were others that knew the truth, one of them was DG, who had been the one to think of the game. And since Azkadellia had yet to get in trouble, and was getting special treatment for it, she couldn't use the same old phrase of DG's adventures getting her into trouble.

"This does not bode well. I don't know why we didn't consider this before. Our ancestor was able to destroy the witch the first time, or so we believed. We had no idea that she would take refuge in a cave so close to our home, and bide her time to strike… and if she could survive her greatest enemy of water, why can't we imagine that her sister was able to survive a house. No one did find remains of her, and she was wearing the slippers long enough that if she had chosen to perform magic while trapped under the house there was no one to stop her. What are we going to do? If what you said is true, she in on her way to building a formidable army." The Queen shivered, she couldn't help it. When she had explicitly asked Az if the Witch of the East was still alive and the answer was yes, she had thought that her heart would stop, or that the old land of Oz would suddenly go dark. She felt as if a candle had snuffed out her life for a bleak moment. She didn't like that, and the two of them had yet to tell anyone about this knowledge, about the fact that someone was going to have to wield the emerald and defend the city, or go out to find the truth, or even defeat the witch. Lavender didn't say anything because she knew that DG would jump at the chance to do it, she had already seen that in her daughter's eyes, and it frightened her.

"Mother… there… I'm sorry to say, but there is more than just one reason why we took Ambrose's brain. It's because of his family…" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, purple eyes were nearly staring right into her soul, there was angry lightning flickering within their depths, and a frown creased her face.

"What business is there to do with my advisor." Her tone was serious and chilling, like she just dared her daughter to convict him of something, all Az could do was bow her head and tell her, or begin to tell her. As each word spilt out of her mouth it was like she was causing visible pain to her dear mother, and it hurt her, but they had to know. Just because he invented a machine to take the day away from The O.Z didn't mean that it was the only reason, the man may have been to smart for his own good, but all the brains in the world weren't the only reason he had taken his own mind away from him. Finishing what she was saying, she happened to look up at the Queen and held back her wince, trying not to show as there were tears forming in the purple eyes, a hand poised at her mouth as if trying to keep her from screaming. The news was bad and good at the same time, it could solve the problems, or it could create so much more. Then a name pricked at Lavender's own mind, and she wondered if this was how Glitch felt, the little flying thoughts that escaped her grasp oh so easily. But then she had a firm grasp on it, and gasped with the realization.

"But Cain…"

That was when Azkadellia let the tears fall, she had done so many wrong things when she was The Sorceress, and this was just one of them. Her own heart hurt, and she wanted desperately to escape to somewhere but wasn't able to. She had to stand where she was and watch as her mother tried very hard not to start screaming, or something equally as loud and un-queen like as possible. What Az was not expecting was motherly arms encircling her. "shh shh my darling Azkadellia… you cry because your heart hurts with the knowledge that you can't stop what has already happened. I'm angry, but not at you my dear." When Az looked up she could see it was true, and took a shuddering breath and nodded, already seeing a plan form in the violet eyes.

"It's a plan, a simple one, but a plan none-the-less. Come… we have to go tell Cain that everything he thinks he remembers might not be the truth he wishes it to be so… and we may have to tell Glitch what we have all hidden from him… we may have to tell Ambrose what has even been hidden from him." She almost couldn't help but smile at the remembrance of her best friend, her friend since childhood, "he won't be pleased at all about that. He's always been rather… hard headed."

No one laughed, but if either of them had it would have been nervous laughter.

---- ---- ---- ----

The scene before him briefly reminded him of a funeral. The time when everyone gathered around the casket and either cried or said words, well some of it was off. The smell of everything being to clean, the look of cold metal everywhere, and the fact that there was one of those bald scientists back with elbow length gloves being held up and away from his body. There was certain uneasiness throughout the entire room. So the right was the Queen… Lavender, who met his eyes for a second before quickly looking away, next to her were the two Princesses. DG was looking straight at him, her wide eyes full of question and adventure, Azkadellia wouldn't even meet his eyes at all, and all she did was look straight ahead, her gloved hand laced tightly with her sisters. It was almost like she couldn't imagine standing without holding onto someone. Behind all three of them was the man of the Royal family, Glitch would call him a King but in the face of a Queen, in the O.Z they didn't matter as much. So he was just Ahamo, the husband of the beautiful Queen and the two fabled Princesses. Ahamo actually looked at him and didn't turn away, nor assessed him like he was a riddle, they held mutual respect for each other, or at least… they used to. It had been odd within the week when he had been sitting in the library, trying to gain back some of the knowledge he desperately grasped for, and the elder man stepped into the room and sat down next to him. It had been a strange first few minutes when Glitch had asked who he was, clearly not remembering him, and Ahamo had just hit him on the back laughing. Later he had mentioned that Ambrose was never as funny as him. The last time they had spent time together in what was Ambrose's realm… the library… he said that Ambrose had glared at him because he had touched a book after he had smoked a pipe and had ordered the man out as quickly as possible as he was staining the texts with disgusting smells of smoke. So yes, there was respect, but no mutual friendship, and the simple fact that Ahamo had taken the time out to extend that olive branch… well it didn't mean anything to Glitch actually, but he supposed that Ambrose would find that amiable and allow the man to glance through the royal library now and then without being yelled at.

The other side of the room made Glitch's heart swell. Raw had kept his promise and had not come to this event, only Lavender knows how much she tried and begged of him to come with the new knowledge she had been given, but Raw had something of a strong spine now and had been able to say no and not worry about getting skinned and made into a rug. Instead he was staring right into the glassy blue eyes of the man who made his head spin and his heart beat violently within his chest. He had the sudden memory of the smell of metal and smoke that covered the Tin Man like a second skin, and the taste of his lips which was like rust and fire. He had actually shown up, which meant that he wanted to help Gl-Am-him, Cain wanted to help him. Or for a second he thought he did before the glassy look in the man's eyes switched for a moment between blinks to reveal anger and sadness and finally he looked away to stare at the green jar that housed the person that was Ambrose. The brainless man didn't like that, and his own eyes following the line of sight he saw something that stopped his own heart.

The table.

The long silver metal table with the straps on it. The thing that had held him down before when they had taken out his brain. He remembered that. In fact he remembered all of that! He remembered the crooked smiles of Azkadellia's scientist crones that held up the sharp blades, he remembered being awake the entire time as they cut in a straight line along the part in his head, slicing through skin like a hot knife through butter, blood welling up into his hair and running down his face into his eyes. He remembered screaming and screaming and screaming, and no one came, he remembered crying and begging for forgiveness and wondered what was going up there because the brain itself didn't have any feeling. He wasn't allowed to fall asleep, they had taken certain cares to keep him awake, feeling as if that part of the torture would allow him to finally snap and they wouldn't have to go to the extreme measure they were doing. But he had just begged them, and called for someone to help him. He called for Lavender but only got laughter from that, and then he had called for… he had called for… he had called for.

Black.

Blinking several times as he opened his eyes, it was as if none of it had ever happened, on no, wait, someone happened to be holding him. Oh that was rather pleasant, glancing at that person, it was Cain… who looked like he was terrified. That was when Glitch realized that the arms that were around him were a little to tight, and the dirty nails that the Tin Man owned were digging into his stomach. It was unpleasant, and held nothing of the niceties he wanted to share with the ex-police man. Trying to push away, he only got so far before the vice-like arms showed why they were called vice-like arms. That left him laughing with a confused sound, a smile with that, "Hello. Hey! Do I know you?!" It did nothing, for once he had been completely knowledgeable about what was going on, well save for that blackout, but he knew who Cain was, and Cain knew that Glitch knew, and wasn't buying the confused brainless act. There was an icy coldness in his glance that he hadn't had since he had first gotten taken out of what should have been his metal tomb, it made him swallow convulsively, and was even more confused when Cain finally spoke.

"Addy." It was a simple word, a statement and a question at the same time, and Glitch was confused and didn't know what Cain was talking about… had he finally gone round the bend before the brainless wonder had, or had he decided that the soon to be Ambrose needed a nickname that didn't fit at all.

"… No… I'm Glitch. Please to meet you!" Ah, there was a reset button activating, and as soon as it did he was pushing himself away from Cain for real, and about ready to extend a hand in greeting when he saw the room again, saw the brain simply bobbing and floating in the oxygenated liquid, alive and waiting. Then he remembered again, "Mr. Cain… you came to see my rebrainment. Did you know that I was the one to invent the process of reinserting someone's brain? At least I think I was, I think I remember that we found some convicts that were innocent and we had to develop a way to put everything back in without causing problems. The worst problem ended up being when a man who had been separated from his brain… oh that's my brain! Are we doing this today?" All smiles again, he walked away from Cain, or tried to, as suddenly his wrist was grabbed and he was yanked back violently, not lust or need or want in there, just anger in the touch. In a dead stop, one foot still raised to proceed over to the table that he was sure he should be afraid of, though couldn't understand why, he almost fell over, instead putting his foot down and looking back at Cain, a question on his face (and a rhyme in his head… well something had to be there). "Mr. Cain…"

"Whose Addy?!" It was yelled, not spoken, not asked, it was demanded, demanded of Glitch to know the answer and to give him the answer as soon as he possibly could. But as soon as it was asked, even though the name sounded familiar, he couldn't deny that it felt familiar as he echoed it, the straws he tried to grasp and hold onto slipped through his fingertips as easily as water. "I… I don't remember!" It may have been the desperation in his voice, or it may have been because he could tell that Glitch really didn't know, but Cain let go and looked up at the group of royals that were watching with almost interest, except for Azkadellia, she was making motions to the bald doctor. The man had spent so much time underneath the sorceress rule that he took the orders from her as easily as he would from other royals, but he'd make sure to follow hers to a tea. As soon as Glitch was released, he nearly feel to the ground, holding his shoulder. "you know, I'll have you know that not everyone is made out of easy put back together pieces… I am not a scarecrow you can just put the hay back into, and you almost twisted my arm off. I want an apologie as soon as I remember what this fight was about!" Even though there hadn't been a fight, even though Glitch didn't know that for about five minutes he had been crying and screaming for Addy at the top of his lungs as he scrambled to try and escape from the room, he was still expecting an apology, and rightly so as he believed that he had done nothing wrong, and Cain had been the one that had been so very rude in the past week. It was Lavender that stepped forward and seemingly saved the day and Cain from saying something that his cold heart would ultimately be guilty of later.

"Instead of trying to question answers unknown, why don't we continue with what we had planned today, Ambrose?" Glitch was sticking his tongue out at Cain when he saw it this time, when the name Ambrose was said he saw the visible flinch, a flinch that wasn't a happy one, and while he was being ushered towards the table. That look caused him not to see where he was going, instead as Cain finally looked up what Glitch managed was a weak smile, uncharistically weak for him, and what would have been a wave. Then he'd remember that things went to hell. As soon as he felt the chill against his back of the metal table everything went black again and he knew he was screaming.

---- ---- ---- ----

Cain wanted to leave the room, as soon as he saw Glitch see the table and had started screaming and made a dead run for the door, it had been of a simple inclination of Lavender's head and he had grabbed the lithe male and was holding his squirming and distressed body against his own. After nearly a week of avoiding the advisor it was as if electricity was poured into his veins, his skin was on fire wherever he was touching the absentminded man, and he tried his best not to show it as his body was most definitely going against those wishes and Glitch had his full attention. How could he help it when the other was writhing against him trying to escape invisible bonds, moaning out in what could have been pain but Wyatt's body was saying was pleasure. He couldn't even hide the blush on his face, and in a less serious situation he was sure that the companions in the room would be trying to hide their smiles. But this wasn't a light hearted situation, it was deathly serious. He hadn't even expected to be in the room, and infact was taking a rest in the room presented to him. Finally able to relax on his bed, staring up at the clockwork ceiling that changed with the time of day, his hat off, his gun holster, even his shirt was off and the soft breeze coming through the window was playing the blond hair on his chest that followed the trail down to his navel, and then disappeared into his pants. It seemed like the timing was perfect because as soon as he closed his eyes his door was being knocked upon.

He had done his best to ignore that quick dream that consisted of a dancing Glitch and his bodies very strong response to it as he pulled on a light blue button up shirt, having gotten a new shirt that didn't have a bullet hole in it, and had walked to his door to open it up to see the Queen and her two daughters. DG was grinning ear to ear, and giving him moon eyes, Azkadellia wasn't even noticing he was there, not meeting his eyes, or staring at his shoes, either nervous or embarrassed by his semi-undressed state. Looking at Lavender, he cocked an eyebrow, wondering what as going on, and all she needed to say was, "Adora…" and he was grabbing his hat and walking quickly behind them. What he didn't know was that he was going to end up watching Glitch have nearly a breakdown, or more when finally he gave up yelling for Lavender, and he started crying out for Addy. 'Please Addy, please I'm so sorry, I promise they won't find out! Please save me Addy! Please please please! I promise that I'll look in the book! I promise I'll visit! Addy! Oh Ozma please Addy help me!' And it had felt like Cain had taken a cold shower, his body was immediately turned off, and the squirming had stopped as Glitch just sagged in his arms, and had woken up… and Wyatt had been upset that Glitch knew about Adora's nickname, that is sounded like he was keeping secrets about her.

It made him angry that it was a possibility that there were things he didn't know about his wife, he was angry that Glitch cried out for her, but what did he expect him to yell? Was he secretly hoping that he'd hear his own name wrenched from those soft lips? And that made him angry too, that was the only emotion he seemed able to produce recently, pure anger… frustration and the want to hurt someone or something, or maybe go outside and hunt a creature. But since the life was brought back to the vineyard there was no reason to hunt those beasties… it was as if evil had been eradicated from the land, it made him uneasy, but his own mind was getting off track from things, it seemed like Glitch was contagious. Maybe tomorrow he'd laugh about that if he got some real answers, which he had a feeling he was going to very soon as they were lowering him against the table. Then there was screaming.

Holy, could Glitch scream, and it was probably why the bald scientist was standing by, the little man was stronger than he looked as he was easily pinning Glitches arm to his side, slipping his wrists into the leather cuffs that held him in place and tightening them to the point that he could see his hands starting to change colors. A leather belt went over his legs below his knee and at his hips, another one over his chest and arms, one even around his neck, and the most important was around his skull. He was begging again. "Please don't do this, really… I won't say anything, I promise. Please let me go, please, there isn't anything important in my head, not really. Please!" Cain actually couldn't look away, even when the tears started to fall out of his eyes, even when the zipper was undone and the man with gloves was reaching inside his head with a scalpel.

What was going on? He thought it was as easy as just putting the brain back in there, but instead there was pain, he could see the sweat break out on the fair skin of the advisor, saw all the muscles in his arms tighten, his hands clench and his back slightly lift from the metal table, but it was forced down as breath came in sharp gasps. His dark eyes were very wide, and looking around, but Cain could tell that they didn't see anything at all. He could feel his own blue eyes going as round as saucers as the bald man pulled his hand from Glitches head to show syrupy dark red blood dripping from his hands, dripping onto Glitches paling face, looking like blood upon snow. More old stories, blood red lips, snow white skin, a hair so dark. As the doctor shifted more blood seemed to seep out and start to wind its way into the curled hair, it would mat the curls when it dried, and there was so much pain. But with another tool, this one with a hook at the end, the doctor went back into the empty skull and with quick jerks of the wrist he began to prick at who knows what inside of Glitch's mind. He kept doing it, like he was trying to unravel an intricate embroidery piece. He could see the blood sometimes squirting out, and with every twitch of Glitch he knew it hurt more and more, his face was completely drained of color and tears were running down his face every second. By this time the only two people watching were himself and Azkadellia, but she was more focused on her ex-minion to make sure he did nothing to hurt Glitch… no one else could stand the site of the man sobbing out his pain, crying out his hopelessness, getting wrapped up in the first memories he had without his brain, of the fear of loosing his mind again.

Then the puncturing stopped, and the doctor withdrew his hands and walked over to the tank. His hands were blood-soaked, but he didn't seem to care about that at all as he unscrewed the side panel, oxygenated fluid running out onto his clothes, onto the ground were it followed a path that was understandable to only one soon-to-be-person in the room. And with sure hands that left red marks where every they touched, he picked up the brain, detaching the little extras that were hooked into the gray matter, and once it was free from it all he spun around and quickly strolled over to Glitch and with a nod to Azkadellia, Cain's peripheral vision could see that she grabbed her sisters hand and with eyes closed they both began to concentrate as hard as they possibly could. Immediately the air changed, everything seemed to feel better and felt nicer, the air was cleaner, his lungs seemed to work better, and the bruise that was still around from the bullet being blocked disappeared, the pain associated with it disappeared like magic. It was magic. Pure magic that fixed everything that it was close too, he couldn't even imagine the affect it was having on Glitch when he was right next to them. What Cain didn't see was the sudden furrowed brow of both DG and Azkadellia as they concentrating on healing their advisor as the doctor worked on putting the brain back in, squishing it into the blood filled space, it was blood filled because as it was pressed down blood seriously gushed out everywhere till instead of just small simple trails being on his face his face was awash in red. Wyatt would have lost his lunch if he had eaten. Another tool was brought out, this one looked like a pair of tweezers but the very end turned and was very thin and rounded, it sparkled silver in the bright light of the room, and with the motions of sewing the bald man began to… what Cain could only think of comparing to… as sewing the brain back in place. Whatever he had plucked out from the empty space must have needed to be reattached to the brain and that was what he was doing. Blue eyes took a quick glance at Glitch's face, and saw that his eyes were still open, blood having fallen into them, filling them, it was sheer will of his own character that he didn't run towards him to take the blood out. Instead he was glued in place, and could only watch as the doctor kept on his sewing.

The first clue that something was wrong was when Azkadellia fell to her knees, the second clue was when DG started swaying on the spot, their hands clenched together, and glowing as brightly as ever even with Az's gloved hand. Lavender ran towards her daughters, and did her best to pump her own power into the equation, none of them noticed that the doctor stopped his sewing and was zipping the zipper up. But Cain did, even when the doctors that had been handing the bald one his tools and such ran over to see Azkadellia and DG and what had happened Cain didn't look away. He watched it all. He watched as several moments passed, seconds? Hours? Lifetimes? Whatever it was he watched until Glitch's eyes opened up, filled with blood it was impossible to see the lights spark within them, the overabundance of knowledge that filled them. It was Cain that walked over and started to undo the leather belts, his fingers trying to stay away from contact as much as possible. It was him who accidentally let himself trail his fingertips over the blood covered face, revealing the still unordinary pale skin underneath the blood. It was him that leaned forwards, only barely inches away from Glitch's lips. He had watched this man go through hell for the second time, and he had seen him cry and call out for people that never came to him. His heart ached for something that he had in kinship with him, his heart ached for just Glitch. He ignored the fact that it wasn't Glitch anymore, and the next words out of his mouth would cement the fact that the mixed up man was gone and Ambrose the snob had taken his place… Ambrose the man that Cain didn't really want to touch. He quieted that voice and while they were fussing over the magical princesses, and with the advisor still stuck to the table, Cain let his lips press gentle onto the blood covered ones.

It wasn't the same kiss as before, this one was gentle, and questioning, and confused, and wanting, and apology all in one, it took a cough from Ahamo to tear Cain away, quickly wiping at his lips and spreading the blood to be up on his cheek and heading towards his ear. The one he had been kissing was blinking at him, one free hand raised as if it was getting ready to try to grab onto very short blond hair. With a quick glance at Ahamo, a smile on the mans knowing face, he was made aware that the women had yet to see, and were just now recovering.

"w-what happened?"

Lavender glanced over at him, a raised eyebrow as if she was saying 'weren't you listening or watching'? But she cleared her voice, her arms secure in both the arms of her daughters. "Something interfered with their power, something overrode it, and overrode them as well. I've never even heard of such power, but the doctor says that whatever it was, healed Glitch as well."

"Ambrose." All eyes turned to the blood covered man on the table, there was something not quite a smile on his face, and he was wiping the blood away from his face and his eyes, using the arm of his coat as a rag as well as he could. "My name is Ambrose."

There should have been commotion, but there wasn't, instead there was dead silence. There were questions to be asked. Was the Wicked Witch of the East still alive? How are you involved with her? Whose name do you keep calling out? But Cain was quicker, quicker with the draw, quicker to getting straight to the point.

"How do you know Addy?" His voice was softer than it had been earlier, and even as Ambrose's eyes turned towards him he felt the base of his world start to crumble beneath him. His air was pulled from his chest, and he tried not to show it, but the shock couldn't be helped. The eyes that stared at him were… he'd never forget those eyes ever. The smile on the advisor's lips seemed to spread enough that it was obvious he was proud that he knew something others didn't.

"Addy? You mean Adora? What do you mean 'How do I know her?' Of course I'd know my own sister."


	3. We May Have A Glitch

**Series:** Kisses Come From the Soul Too 3/?

**Author:** Essee

**Beta: **Annabella

**Rating:** PG-16 (almost went to higher rating)

**Warnings:** Men kissing other men, confusion, prickdom

**Pairings:** Cain/Glitch(Ambrose), past Cain/Adora

**Word Count:** 9,185

**Author Note:** This chapter is dedicated to wonderful, Annabella… who probably found out through beta-ing chapter three that I am the Queen of Pronouns, and that I hate breaking my paragraphs up. She should be given a trophy, but seeing as I don't have one available this dedication will have to do.

Oh yes, while you are reading there are two things to be aware of

_Flashbacks will be completely it italics_

_and voices that only one person can hear will be in italics and curvy brackets_

**Summary:** Glitch has his brain back in his head, where it should be. But the answer to one question has opened a very new can of worms.

**Chapter Three**: We May Have a Glitch

* * *

"Y-your sister?" Cain didn't know what else to say. All he could do was stare numbly at Glitch, and pray to the good wizard that he didn't fall unconscious.

Dosh it, if Cain was going to faint he was going to faint.

His vision was getting spotty, and he was having an incredibly difficult time trying to comprehend what this new man in front of him, Ambrose, had just said. Cain had known that Adora must have had family, he'd had asked her about it more than once, but he never considered that he would find out like this.

Nor did he expect that Ambrose was going to be a family member.

As a Tin Man, Cain should have done the investigating, but like most men in his profession, Tin Men did their best to keep their families distant from the job. Cain had made the mistake of letting them mix, and had paid the ultimate price.

Closing his eyes, Cain tried to remember, tried to recall the times that Adora had spoken freely about her family. Parents, siblings, grandparents, if there was anyone in the world that was related to her. It was funny that Cain had never realized how closed the woman was about divulging information about herself or her past.

"_Honestly Wyatt, I don't know why this is so important." Adora's lips were pursed ever so gently as she spoke, as they did when she was trying to think her way out of answering an uncomfortable question. "Why do you want to know? I'm sure that the people who attended our wedding are people enough that we need to know."_

"_Addy, we were married in a two person ceremony. Two witnesses! By the Wizard I don't really think that's all the people we need to know. Besides, Jeb should know if he has any other family. One day he'll grow up and he'll want to know who his people are, where he comes from." Sure Cain was laying it on a bit thick, but it seemed strange that Adora had just popped out of thin air. _

_When they first started seeing each other Cain used to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Moonbeams created her skin, fire made her hair, and rose petals made her lips, and when Cain looked into Adora's eyes it was like coming home. Nevertheless, all people came from somewhere – they had a mother and a father. _

"_Wyatt… I really don't want to talk about this, why can't you just believe that I have descended from pixies and that they left me full grown on your doorstep to be loved , and to make a happy healthy home with you, to give you sons, and quite possibly a daughter." Adora pulled her red hair back with a tie, having decided before this conversation that she was going to tackle their stove and wrestle it into a state of cleanliness so that people could see their reflection in it. She liked doing these simple chores. _

_Even though Cain joked about where she came from, and who her family was, it seemed that in a short amount of time he had become more persistent in asking her, dragging out their conversation about it. It was simple to learn his motive, Wyatt wanted to know about her family, and every time she managed to avoid the answer, or had flat-out said no, he had gone out and shot a rather large game animal. Jeb was becoming a rather chunky baby. "I do believe, Mr. Cain, that every time I tell you that I don't have any family you go out and shoot a great beastie, and it is taking a toll on your midsection, I do believe."_

"_Well, Mrs. Cain, if you would just offer up the information I wanted to know then I wouldn't have to go out and kill every creature I see. Can't you understand it Adora? I just want to know who else has seen you laugh, and smile, and cry, and pout. I want to meet someone that knows you as well as I do." _

_Cain really did love her, with all his heart. He would do anything for her, and she knew that. Adora pulled away from the oven and looked up at him, her wispy red hair falling forward into eyes that seemed distant. For a moment, Cain felt remorseful for pushing the subject. _

"_Adora--"_

"_I have a brother," she said it quickly; stopping almost before she started, and immediately the regret bloomed in her eyes. It was difficult for Cain to take sit patiently, his livelihood screamed at him to sit his lovely wife down and find out why that regret had flashed through her eyes, or ask her until she broke down. The husbandly side of him that loved Adora may have wanted to know, but was much more understanding about discovering why. "I just, I promised him a long time ago that we wouldn't talk about each other. He is an important man and while I chose a simple yet wonderful life with you, he chose a much different path." _

_She was smiling again, relieved to have shared this small fact with her husband. _

_Seeing that Cain was about to speak, Adora quickly cut him off, "And no, you don't get to know his name. I'm not going to have you finding him and hounding him every chance you get." She paused for a moment to smile at him, "Now go out and use some of the preserved meat as bait to catch some fat fish." Pushing him away, she grabbed a firm bristled brush, dunked it in a bucket of soapy water and tackled the stove. She went so far as to stick her entire head into the oven._

_Adora quickly pulled her head out of the oven, soot covering her cheeks, and she managed a mouse sneeze before looking over at him sheepishly. "This could cause a fire with all the dirt in here." Then came her smile again, and it had Wyatt smiling back. Sitting up on her knees she gave him a pouty look, "Wyatt Everest Cain, if you don't get to doing what I said that boar food is going to spoil on us, and the fish will have gone to their watery beds for the night. Even if you choose not to get fish you should salt case the boar, it will be good for extra rations, just incase something was to happen." _

_There was that flash of regret again, but it was chased away as they were both able to hear the sounds of Jebidiah starting to wake up, little baby noises that weren't yet cries for his mother but more of curiosity as to what was around him. Standing up, wiping her hands on her skirt, she turned to see that Wyatt had yet to move. _

"_What do you want husband of mine?" Adora sighed, giving Cain the most serious look she could muster. There was a brief pause of silence, while Cain looked like he was thinking hard about something, before he spoke._

"_Hey, Sunshine. What about your mother?"_

"_Why you!" And as Cain began to laugh, Adora ran after him, chasing him with a cloth as she hit his shoulders and head, not trying to do any real damage, knowing he was joking. It was that boyish charm that she fell in love with in the first place, and she'd never want to see it disappear. But Oh! Why couldn't he just let it go, evil husband. _

_His laughter was enough to wake Jeb up the rest of the way, and with a quick kiss to her lips Cain was ducking out the door. Adora went to scoop up their son and hush him back to a state of happiness._

Cain was pulled from his thoughts with an abrupt jolt, the memory now seemed to unlock like a rusted key finally giving way.

Why hadn't he remembered this before? Was he forgetting Adora?

Plagued by the nightmare of forgetfulness, Cain wondered why the similarities that ran so strongly through Glitch that reminded him of Adora, weren't as so glaringly obvious to him in the first place.

When Glitch smiled it was Adora's smile, his eyes were her eyes. It was so much more obvious now as blood was cleaned out of _their_ eyes. Cain could now see that almost identical spark of life and light that always turned his knees to goo, and made his heart beat faster and slower at the same time

It was in the way they spoke his name.

That familiar tone of voice had been why Cain had flinched away from Glitch so rapidly when he had called him Wyatt. So many emotions were attached to that name, too much heartache.

Cain had barely had a real chance to grieve, to realize what had happened, and now his body was already making itself aware that there was someone else it was just as interested in. To say Cain was torn, and upset about it was an understatement.

Barely aware that he was nearly growling, Cain suddenly noticed that Glitch's inquisitive eyes were looking straight at him, focusing on him, questions barely contained within their depths. Glitch had been looking at him the entire time, and as Cain focused on his friend, he didn't like what he saw. Seriousness had replaced joy on Gl-Ambrose's face, there was a light of intelligence there but not of love and fun. His eyes regarded Cain coolly as if he had no innate interest in him at all. It was probably so.

"Mr. Cain, if you feel the need to ask me a question, and then decide that you aren't going to have any response to the answer, I firmly suggest that you not bother asking the question in the first place. I'd prefer that your brash nature not affect my concentration when I am very obviously trying to recover from severe maladies that you have no understanding of."

As Cain heard the clipped and precise tone that the man, Ambrose, spoke with, his stomach twisted, and by the way DG visually sneered she didn't enjoy it much either.

The Tin Man's blue eyes sought out Queen's purple gaze, and found them easily, as they were looking right at him. Whatever he wanted to say, or ask was left quiet as the Queen's gaze dared Cain to say something.

Lavender knew this man, she knew Ambrose as well as she knew her own husband, and was not at all deterred by the sudden personality change. If Cain could guess right he believed that she was amused by it.

Rumors came from the streets as if they were being manufactured day in and day out, and some of those rumors had to be true. Cain now found himself hoping that the gossip concerning the close relationship between the Queen and her Advisor was just that, gossip. It seemed as if there was something that the Queen wanted to say, if the quick parting of her lips was any evidence. Whatever was to be said was stored away for a later date as her royal stare returned to her partially confused Advisor.

The blond man watched as Lavender reached her hand forward to rest on Ambrose's shoulder, slightly sticky from the seeping blood, only to see Ambrose jump and turn to see her. It was like night and day as the Advisor's spine straightened while a contrary softness formed around his mouth.

"Ah, my Queen." It was interesting to watch the conflicting emotions playing over Ambrose's face, and a man that should have been cold fought against what had become his body's habit: smiling when he was happy, frowning when he was sad, and ranting and whining when he was in a less than wonderful situation. "I'm so-"

"Please say no more, Ambrose, my dear friend. What occurred was no more your fault than it was anyone else's. I would be heartbroken to discover that you blamed yourself for anything." Her hand traveled down Glitch's, could he even be called such now, shoulder to grasp his hand tightly.

Cain told himself that he should not be feeling anything, but from being so long in his tin prison it was near impossible to remain emotionless when he was so overwhelmed with gut reactions.

The Tin Man wanted to rip the Queen away from her Advisor. Wanted to grab _Glitch_ and shake him until he shared all of his secrets.

What had Ambrose said while he was reflecting on his memories of Adora? Had it been important? Cain needed to know.

"He didn't say much." Spinning around, the whispered voice came from behind him and Wyatt's blue eyes widened in surprise as he saw that somehow DG had managed sneak up on him. What else had he missed?

Now that Cain realized his lack of observation, he saw that the doctors and the scientist had escorted Azkadellia out of the room, as well Ahamo. The room seemed eerily empty without them, or maybe it was that Glitch wasn't around to fill the space with mindless chatter that may or may not have had any relevance to what was actually going on.

With a quick scan of the room, Cain turned his attention back towards DG, Dorothy Gale, and took in her appearance. Royal life seemed to agree with her. Black hair that had looked rough and tumbled when the three men had first met her was now smoothed, her face was peachier, the dark dress she wore, was, if anything, draped regally.

The only thing problem was the dull expression in D.G's eyes. When they should have been radiant, they seemed to be dying. Cain guessed that it had something to do with her lack of freedom. Little girls never realized that their wishes for change sometime made them wish for what they lost, but he was sure that the kid in front of him was realizing it now.

Cain was worried, as DG quickly had filled a place in his life that had been empty of his son for so long, she was like a daughter to him, and no father ever wanted their children to be sad.

DG seemed to realize that Mr. Cain wasn't going to ask her what Ambrose had said as her mouth became an 'oh' and with her softened hands, she was able to grab Cain by the sleeve of his shirt and pull him away from the private moment between her mother, and who she could only refer to as ex-Glitch.

D.G. was able to let go of the breath she had been holding, and relax and roll her eyes -- something she'd been wanting to do since she first heard Ambrose speak.

DG hadn't had the chance to meet the royal parliament member, Ambrose, in the brain room like Raw, Cain, and Kaalm had, so she had no idea of his thoughts of 'conversational actions.' DG was sure that she'd get used to Ambrose and find that he was a good and loyal friend, but already she was comparing him to Glitch and he was falling dramatically short.

"Like I was saying Cain… _he,_" DG didn't want to utter his name, saying it meant she accepted Glitch was gone, and above all else, that was something that she didn't want," didn't say much of anything. When you asked if it was his sister, he went on about how 'Completely and dramatically redundant' it was that he was having to repeat himself a second time, especially to a man that obviously had nothing to do with her. I know, harsh, you shouldn't be mad at him though, we have to remember that he wasn't--- Cain!"

D.G.'s voice rose as Cain yanked away from her, spun around, and made a beeline back towards Ambrose.

Ignoring that there were smiles being shared between the two friends, ignoring that the blood was still staining Ambrose's face and his clothes, ignoring that Lavender's smile was fading, a question on her lips, ignoring that Ambrose probably shouldn't be being jostled right now.

Wyatt Cain ignored it all.

In one swift motion Cain grabbed the lapels of Glitch's still ripped coat and lifted Ambrose out of the chair, with enough force that the belts still tying Ambrose down snapped and unraveled. Ambrose was lifted until he was eye level with Cain and his feet weren't touching the ground. In this strange and sudden action from Cain, Lavender had fallen over the table, and was now sprawled on the ground in a very un-Queen like fashion.

DG's mouth had fallen open as she rushed to her mother's side. Her pleas for Cain to put Ambrose down fell on deaf ears.

Cain did not move, could not move.

He felt as if everything was building to this point, all of his grief, his anger. His inability to kill Zero when he wanted to, the loss of Glitch, the way Ambrose was a fake, Glitch's familiar smile. It all led to this moment, and with each word Cain spoke he shook the Advisor making him look like a ragdoll. "Don't. You. Ever. Ever. Say. I. Have. Nothing. To. Do. With. My. WIFE!"

Cain's words forced real emotion over to wash over Ambrose's face. There was shock, surprise, fear, and confusion.

Cain wasn't affected by it at all as he continued to shake the bloodied man.

The two women in the room were mere bystanders. The Tin Man's attitude clearly said, 'interfere and I can't hold myself responsible for my actions.'

Lavender feared for her friend, but knowledge of Ambrose's sister was surprising to her as well, the biggest difference was that she trusted her advisor, and if he had chosen to keep his family a secret then there was a reason. In her opinion, there was no reason at all for Cain to have such a severe reaction.

A few days after the sun had shone yet again on the lands of the O.Z, Lavender had entertained the idea of hiring Wyatt Cain to be her guard, but that idea had been quickly squashed when she learned of the death of Adora, and that he had yet to truly go through the grieving process. Dorothy Gale had accidentally let it slip over breakfast. The knowledge had been a puzzle piece about Cain that she had been missing. Unfortunately, it led to a very quick and biased opinion of said Tin Man. In her opinion, Cain was a loose cannon, and she refused to have a man that was likely to explode to be the one protecting her children, even in light of recent events.

Let it never be said the Queen did not worry about her children like every other mother did.

DG didn't know whose side to be on. On the one hand, Cain was a dear friend that had saved her life and kept her going even when she wanted to give up. But, Glitch… there was no more Glitch. He was Ambrose, and she didn't know that man. DG had seen memories of him, and she knew that he had been more than brave, and she knew that Cain felt the same way. It was confusing, and she could barely entertain the idea that Cain might seriously hurt the 'stranger'.

"Unhand me you barbarian! Are you aware that I am in a fragile state that your clumsy shaking may cause permanent damage!? I'll have you know tha- OWW!"

It was that 'oww' that changed the situation, a sound of real pain that sprung everyone into action. Lavender and DG found their feet unstuck and rushed forward, Cain's rage filled eyes cleared and his hands released Ambrose, who fell to the ground. Surprise and guilt quickly seeped into the blond man's face.

Lavender managed to wrap her arms around her friend to keep him from crashing to the ground, instead bringing them both down, blood speckling her dress and her face. "Oww!" Ambrose's own hands lanced up into the bloodied curls, grabbing onto them as if to pull them out as anguish spread over his face.

Only DG's quick thinking reminded her that she could use her magic to heal.

"Ow! Geeze that smarts! I feel like I just got hit by… well I don't know what I got hit by, but I'll be sure to tell someone when I remember."

The voice that came from the post-op Glitch was, well, it was distinctly Glitch flavored. The tone, the lilting sound of his voice, the almost cheerful way he spoke as if he was trying to please everyone.

"Euhm… Queen… while I appreciate the fact that you may have been trying to comfort me in my time of need, I'm not sure that we should be on the ground. Ya know, people will start to talk, and when they do I don't want to be the one they come after. I've already been labeled as a… How did the surgery go? Oh well it couldn't have gone very well, seeing as I am still babbling and rambling on very much like my old self, but that can't be right, my head feels much heavier." Glitch pulled back from Lavender, shaking his head he pushed his hair back, and with a laugh and a smile, he looked up, "Hello. I'm Gl-Gli-G…what? Did I do something wrong?"

---- ---- ---- ----

"No… no… It does not make any sense. They said the rebrainment was a success. We have had this done before with the men that were found to be innocent and they have had no problems. This should not be happening."

Lavender was pacing back and forth, in front of a fire-warmed wall of colorful tapestries. After Ambrose's surgery, they had relocated to a more private room. Ahamo had chosen a prized spot in the room for Azkadellia, it being an overstuffed couch that was close enough to receive the heat from the fireplace .

Glitch was unnerved by the fact that Cain kept staring at him. He mentioned that it was giving him the shivers, and Cain had rolled his eyes and looked away, just as confused as everyone else was.

Cain had just found out that the family he remembered asking his lovely wife about such a long time ago, had been standing right next to him since being unlocked from the tin prison. If that wasn't surprising enough, Cain did not yet find himself wanting to be in the company of Ambrose again.

The Tin Man thought little of the Ambassador. Strangely, not the same could be said about Glitch. In a matter of a few days Glitch had managed to make an odd shaped spot in Cain's heart, and the attraction he felt for the empty-headed fool was as apparent as night and day. Cain was also sure that Glitch was interested in him, if Cain went by his actions. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Ambrose thought of him, but Cain was sure it wasn't complimentary. Shaking his head, trying to release such thoughts from his mind, Cain did his best to draw his focus back into the room, and its occupants.

Lavender had yet to change her clothes, and the blood-speckled dress was causing a sense of unease within her family. Her daughters and husband had arranged themselves on the couch. Cain was standing by the fireplace looking away from the entire group, Raw was sitting in a single chair, listening to everyone but making sure to protect the young Kaalm, and that protection extended to not letting Kaalm learn about what was going on.

Raw had discovered that the young Seer had a habit of pushing himself to his limits and ignoring when he needed a rest. He was sure that it had something to do with knowing Lilow had fought till the end, even if that end had come prematurely.

The only one missing from amongst them was Glitch.

It was a unanimous decision that Glitch was to head into his room and take a bath, there was only so much blood a person could stand to see in one day. It had taken both DG and Lavender to convince him to go to his room, and Cain to walk him to it since it seemed that the synapses Glitch always talked about were misfiring every two seconds.

The Zipper Head had forgotten what he was saying five times within a five-minute span. Glitch had introduced himself to Cain twice only to realize who he was in the middle of said introduction; he had then followed Cain out of his room like a puppy almost all of the way back to the family room before Cain had realized it, and took him back for his bath -- again.

Things became strained for a moment when the absentminded man had looked at Cain with worry; the Tin Man still had the blood on his face from his kiss with Ambrose. When Glitch saw the blood on Cain he had gotten nervous, thinking someone had attacked, or that in his lack of memory that he had done it himself. In one of Glitch's more coherent moments he stepped up and cleaned Cain's face.

In total, it took Cain three more tries before he had gotten Glitch to stay in his room. When Cain had finally been able to find his way to the room in which the royal family had gathered, Lavender had just begun her rant about the impossibility of the situation. Cain had been quiet since then, but now he felt the need to speak up. To be the voice of reason about Glitch almost wasn't Cain's place, but no one else was speaking about the inevitable fall of the once intelligent man. Deciding that glares from Lavender, and DG was a small price to pay for letting his own thoughts be heard, Cain spoke up.

"We have to come to terms with the fact that something about the surgery didn't work… maybe that brief moment of Ambrose was supposed to be for your goodbyes. Perhaps, his brain is permanently injured. It was overworked due to Azka--the Witches machine. Couldn't that have happened?" Not moving from his spot, Cain spoke as if he was only half-interested.

In reality he was the very opposite of that, Cain was dying to know what had gone wrong.

What was going on?

Maybe Lurline was laughing at the man known as Wyatt E. Cain from her lofty lair. The mythical woman had offered a branch of knowledge, a kinship that he was missing, and that he needed, and decided to snatch it away. Cain would have cursed the Fairy Queen, but some still believed that she was alive and watching them, and he figured that things in his life weren't going very well so he shouldn't make it worse by angering anyone.

Did Cain even want Ambrose around? Ambrose did offer up that small amount of knowledge that Adora was his sister, but there was a distinct hush-hush air around that information, and Cain suspected that the admittance was the only information he was going to get.

"No," the young Princess' words the suddenly disturbed the Tin Man's thoughts, turning his attention solely towards her, "you can't say that Mr. Cain! Glitch would be so upset if he found out what we are thinking, that he might not ever remember who he was." DG's voice held none of her usual sarcasm, she was genuinely concerned for the person who was quickly becoming one of her best friends.

DG liked to consider Cain a friend, but he was like a father figure or a very protective uncle. Cain had gone through so much that, while Deedg enjoyed his company, there was still a barrier between them that only let that companionship go so far.

"Glitch has been dreaming of having his brain back since I met him! We can't just take that dream away from him. He's fought for it as much as we all fought to get to this point. Would you just take me away from my family because you think there is something wrong? No, you'd help me and we'd figure out what to do. We should do the same for Glitch." It was clear to see how adamant DG was about the issue.

Lavender stopped her pacing, took a seat next to her daughter and grabbed her hands, violet eyes rimmed with tears. The Queen was taking in the idea that putting the brain back into Glitch's empty head wasn't a solution, just as hard as her daughter was.

Lavender would give her daughter the world, she held the matching half of her life, her soul, and being so close all Lavender felt was overwhelming love. Even if the Queen had decided that the best course of action would be the permanently take the brain out, Lavender would have reconsidered after DG's words. "My Angel, we will do whatever we can, but it might be better this way. If Glitch cannot remember what Ambrose knows he will be safer?"

It had been a discussion with her other daughter, Azkadellia, who was most definitely the jewel of her father's eyes, that convinced Lavender that it was better that Glitch not remember this truth. "I did not want to be the one to tell you, My Love, but your dear sister has told me that there were more than just the simple reasons that we believed as to why they took his brain. There is knowledge that Ambrose has that could save or damn the entire O.Z. I have known that this knowledge existed since Glitch began his experiments, but I do not know what this knowledge is." Lavender kissed DG's hands, trying to soften the blow.

Dorothy Gale's bright blue eyes were wide with confusion as she watched her mother, tears beginning to fall.

"But it's Glitch, he has a right to know this information, what if something happens… what if what he knows is what we need to know." DG pulled her hands away, running them through her hair, "Don't you get it!? It's NOT FAIR! How can we even be considering that he shouldn't know his own mind?! It should be up to him. If there is a problem with his brain we should be fixing it, not trying to figure out a way to keep him from his memories. What if… what if..."

"He knows about the Eastern Witch and where to find her!!" The voice came out from nowhere, yelled as if it needed to be said before the speaker exploded.

Even as she spoke, Azkadellia was trying to stop herself, her hands were raised as if she was about to cover her mouth. A blush formed around her face, dark eyes reflecting the flames that burned in the fireplace. All attention had turned towards her.

Lavender's violet eyes quickly looked at the other occupants in the room. Her beloved husband looked as if someone had just told him his food had been poisoned, and Raw looked about ready to growl, or attack… or flee? She threw away the latter idea, knowing he had found the courage he had desperately searched for. DG just looked very confused, not understanding the idea of an Eastern Witch.

Cain's expression was impossible to read, and that put Lavender on edge.

Ahamo grabbed Az's hand, squeezing her fingers, wanting her to talk. "The Western Witch often talked about it, she was always thinking about her sister. Her sister was part of her plan. The Sorceress wanted to bring darkness using the eclipse, magnifying her power, and then she was going to extract the information from Ambrose's brain and go after her sister. She kept saying that there was more that he knew, but there was something keeping the knowledge from her. Every time she started to think about what else Ambrose knew she'd loose her train of thought."

Az's voice fell, becoming quiet, it was the most she had said since the eclipse, and it put a visible strain on her face.

Now that the information was known it was as if there was a darkness looming over them. The only movement was DG shaking her head in confusion. "I don't understand who the Eastern Witch is? I didn't even know that there was more than one witch." She looked towards the faces of her friends, of her family, towards Azkadellia, who seemed to be the expert on witch information, if only because of her time as The Sorceress.

Thankfully, it was Ahamo who came to his Azkadellia's rescue, truly getting sick with the questions continuously fired at her, Az needed a rest from it.

"DG, this… it's one whirlwind of a story… it is old too. Your mother told it to me when we first met, and I'm sure that the only other person that could tell it better is Ambrose, as he told Lavender. But I'll guess I'll try, it doesn't hurt to give you're a more concise story without all the extras they'd put in it." He ignored the look he got from Lavender for that comment, "During the time of the Ancients, Dorothy Gale first arrived to the O.Z in a House. She fell right out from the sky and landed on top of the Wicked Witch of the East –"

"You are skipping much of the story, Ahamo," Lavender interrupted.

"Right. I should start by saying that before Dorothy came there were four Witches. Two good, two bad. The bad ones from the East and West. The Western Witch you've had a chance to deal with, she was power hungry. Yet, most considered the Eastern Witch more terrible than her sister. She never wanted power, because she already had it. What she liked to do was torture. She liked to hear people scream for no reason; she liked to put people in impossible situations only so they could fail. The worst part about her was that she was easily bored." Ahamo paused for a moment to gather a breath. "Boredom does awful things to people. It makes them vicious and vindictive – jealous because people around them aren't bored. She didn't have a plan to rule the O.Z. like her sister, thus no one could ever imagine what the Eastern Witch would do. Kill, destroy homes, steal babies out of cribs and toss them into the Nothing desert… laughing as their parents grieved."

"I don't understand. If Ambrose knows where she is, isn't that a good thing? We can go and defeat her. It's that much easier, we know what we are looking for, and we'll know where to look. We've already defeated the one witch. Let's go and defeat this one!" DG stopped talking when she realized her companions were staring at her. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" She would have continued with her speech, she was ready to go, already addicted to adventure. "What!?"

"Don't know how Ambrose knows." Raw had been deathly quiet the entire time, feeling out everyone's emotions and thoughts with his heart.

Raw was becoming one of the strongest Seer's of his lifetime and his empathetic skills seemed to be improving daily. He should have been scared, but Raw had learned that if he tried things and stood up his fears that they weren't as awful as they seemed. Raw had also been through hell and back, almost a meal several times, threatened with death at the hands of the Sorceress, and he had seen his own kind murdered.

Raw had grown to accept these humans as his family. He would do anything to protect them, even if it meant breaking their hearts… or hurting them for a moment because it would help them in the end. That was real courage, being able to say no to the ones you loved, to stand up to your friends even if all you wanted to do was comfort them.

The Queen was a strong woman, but she wasn't courageous, she would never be able to say no to her daughters, especially DG. Cain was strong, courageous, and a good man, but he was having more difficulty following his heart now than he ever had. DG had too much courage, and in the end it was going to make her foolish, much like Kaalm, much like Jeb. Taking a breath, Raw's tail twitched with slight irritation as he saw the defense building up in the large blue eyes of DG, and instead of answering her question he looked towards Cain, who was worrying an earlobe.

"Raw is right. That's why your mother is thinking that it might be a better idea if Ambrose's memories are locked away for good. How much would you hate it if you found out that the reason he knows where that witch is, is because he is in cahoots with her," Cain uttered this statement with his usual, frank, drawl.

"That would never happen!" It was Lavender who spoke up so loudly, "I have known Ambrose since we were children! I almost mar- I am sorry Ahamo, this was when we were young and foolish, and still teenagers- I almost married him! I would trust him with my life, There is no way that he is in league with a creature like her!" Her eyes were sparking, her nostrils flaring, and her hair seemed to be gaining static electricity, Lavender looked like a cat about ready to scratch somebody's eyes out.

Cain was just as ready with a reply, and he was unhappily disturbed to learn that Ambrose and Lavender were close enough to consider matrimony. Turning away from the fireplace, he squared off against the Queen.

"Then you find a plausible reason to why he knows where she is! Do you think I like that idea? Do you think I'm happy about this?! I just found out that he is my Brother-In-Law! Do you think I want to find out the same day that he planned on bringing the Wicked Witch of the East back to power?"

Ambrose had once told DG that he knew her mother when she was like her, a spitfire. Before the thou's and the thy's, that she used to go off looking for adventure, and that she wouldn't take flack from anybody. As Lavender glared at Cain, and he back at her, it was more apparent than ever that it was true.

Raw decided to save the situation, "Maybe, when house fall, cast spell."

There it was, the knowledge that they had been waiting for. Providing them with a glimmer of hope that Ambrose, before the surgery, would have told them about the Eastern Witch a long time ago, if he had been able to.

Spells were strange. Some spells could happen immediately, giving instant gratification to the person casting it. Others took time. Some spells could wait for years, decades, centuries. Then there were curses, dangerous things that caused a proverbial can of worms to open.

It was a terrifying idea that while the house had fallen out of the sky to land on the Wicked Witch of the East, she'd lived long enough to cast a spell that would allow for her resurrection. It could be possible that someone would unknowingly carry the knowledge of that spell allowing her to make a triumphant return. It could only happen if the spell was dormant nature, like a disease that no one, not even the afflicted one knew about.

In the land of the O.Z, with forms of magic flying every which way, many things that were truth didn't often need to be reiterated verbally. But why of all people would it be Ambrose that was afflicted? What if Glitch had released the spell accidentally during his wanderings?

This time DG sought out Lavender's hands and held them.

Cain spared a glance towards Raw, and before anything else could be said, "I'm getting Glitch." He was out of the room as fast as he could get. There was foreboding feeling in the room, and the Tin Man had seen looks like that before on the faces of his superiors' right before they sent him on a mission that probably meant certain death.

---- ---- ---- ----

---- ---- ---- ----

"Whose room – Oh— this is my room, and that's my picture right there."

Cain had left Glitch in his room a while ago, leaving him more confused than he had been in months.

Glitch felt as if he was waking up from a long sleep only to be told that everything he knew was backwards and that he had to learn how to walk on his feet.

As quickly as the thought came, it went and then came again. Glitch was a broken record, and had no idea.

Though Glitch's mind always reset itself, it had never been much of a problem before he had met DG, now it was a very big problem. He always remembered what happened, and that was the important part, although it took him a while. Glitch was afraid that one day he would completely forget who he was.

Wait, why he was standing here right now?

_"You do know you are running around in circles."_

"Hello? My name is Glitch, have we met?" But there was no answer to his question, it was surprisingly quiet.

He spun around and by the time he had finished his circle Glitch had forgotten that he had asked a question.

"Hello? My name is Glitch, have we met?" Yet again there was no answer.

The silence didn't bother him this time, since the next time Glitch was opening his eyes he found himself nude and in the shower.

Before Glitch was consumed with the need to know how he got into the shower, he was distracted and quickly amused by pink water running down the drain. "Oh! That's quite pretty! The water is pink!" With childlike exuberance Glitch grinned, wondering when the Queen had decided to stain the water. It made him think that his skin was going to be all nice and pinky-peach instead of its usual pale complexion. Not that there was something wrong with his pale complexion, Glitch remembered that one time someone had told him that his skin looked like parchment.

Glitch ran his fingers up into his hair, curls tangling. With deft hands he was able to wash his hair without getting soap getting into the zipper this time. Practice makes perfect, and his actions were automated. Letting himself step under the spray of water, the soap washed away while the white noise of water rushing into his ears allowed his mind to clear.

_Big bright eyes were looking up at him, smiling broadly as dirty hands reached up, each finger covered in mud, and suddenly squishing his face. _

"_Addy! Don't play with the red clay like that, it makes a mess." _

"_But Brosey it's fun! C'mon Brosey! Play with me"_

_----_

"_You have to keep this a secret… use this, my Ambrose." Red hair flashed around his vision as he felt a hug encircling his shoulders. An overwhelming sadness filled him. _

"_Addy…" _

"_Shh… it's all taken care of. We are going to see the Wizard."_

_----_

"_I owe you one."_

"_You are a deep well, Glitch."_

"_Good Morning, Sweetheart."_

_Bright blue eyes staring straight into his soul, the feel of lips against his own, the sheer force, the rawness of the kiss. Rubbing against each other with fervor, smiling into a kiss. His lips, passion-bitten until blood welled to the surface._

Glitch's pupils dilated as flashes of memory flew through his mind. Those final thoughts though, they left him breathless.

Where was the reset button now? Knowing Glitch's luck with memory he'd start . . . and forget halfway through. Instead, Glitch just turned the cold water on and tried desperately to ignore his hardening flesh. It didn't work as well as he had hoped, but he was able to focus on the fact that the water wasn't pink anymore. The clear water was enough of distraction from the sensual images that it slowly began to lessen his erection. What he remembered next was enough to diminish it completely.

"Maybe I – No, I was covered with blood. My blood turned the water pink."

_"You just figured that out now? I knew that about… well, long before now. If you had listened earlier you would have known. I cannot believe that you find that barbarian blond attractive; or that you were entertaining the thoughts of pleasuring yourself in the shower!"_

"Hello? Who's there?" Any further questions were cut off by a sudden blinding pain. "Ohh, my head." Reaching to turn off the shower, Glitch stumbled out of the bathing stall, groping for a towel. His skull was pounding behind his eyes, making the task of procuring a towel one of the most difficult things Glitch had done in a while.

Just as he found the towel, everything was suddenly doused by darkness. Glitch should have panicked, most people would have if they had suddenly had their vision disconnected from the world, but there was something oddly familiar about the darkness.

---- ---- ---- ----

As he approached the entrance to Glitch's room, Cain found himself too angry to bother knocking and opened the door without thinking. Glitch was standing there, dark curls still wet from the shower, and he was… why was he undressing?

The other man didn't notice that Cain had entered, quite occupied as he tried to unbutton a white shirt while removing a striped one and exposing a swath of creamy skin in the process.

Cain felt his face growing hot as he watched every inch of skin become exposed. Hidden underneath all of those layers was a lithe body. Glitch was thin and didn't have much fat on him, nor much muscle.

Cain swallowed thickly and loudly, the dryness of his mouth made him cough and catch Glitch's attention.

The absent-minded man turned surprised but intelligent eyes towards him. A clipped voice addressed Cain quickly after, "I would prefer to wear something red, or at least something that does not look like it was fed to a cutting machine."

"What?" This wasn't Glitch at standing before him all, it was Ambrose.

The Advisor let the striped shirt fall to the ground as he walked over to the armoire; opening it he batted away the moths that had made it their home for the past 15 years. Ambrose kept one eye on Cain while he searched through the clothes. While at the same time Cain was staring back with an odd questioning expression, having just noticed an odd design on Ambrose's arm.

With quick steps Cain moved forward before the Advisor was able to put on an uneaten red blouse adorned with gold buttons. Taking a note from Glitch's book, he ignored personal boundaries and grabbed Ambrose's bare arm to look at the marking there.

It was a circle with four long triangles coming from each side. One on top, one on bottom, one to the left and one to the right. Between each long triangle was a shorter fatter one. Cain had seen this symbol before, "I know this symbol…"

"That is all well and good. Congratulations, you are able to recognize triangles and circles put together in a uniform shape. As you can tell there are more pressing matters at hand." Ambrose paused to make sure he had the Tin Man full attention. "If I am not mistaken, before you left me in this room I was the person you call Glitch?"

"Yes," Cain bit out, wanting to question the marking more, but knowing he'd be shot down, or given the verbal run-around.

"Obviously, I am not said person, my name is Ambrose, and I would be rather upset if you choose to ignore such a declaration and continued calling me Glitch. It is quite obvious that he holds a friendship with you, seeing as how your eyes light up strangely when you think about him. Do not believe for a moment that I did not notice that, nor the fact that you blu-"

In the middle of buttoning up his shirt, and on a rant that no one was safe from, Ambrose was stopped short when the Tin Man kissed him.

This kiss was different from the first, before Cain was muddled (Ambrose was too, but he wouldn't admit it), and the kiss had been tainted by blood and uneasiness. Now it was as if Mr. Cain knew what he was doing, and was sure of his actions. Ambrose's body was fully aware of what 'The' Wyatt Cain could make him do, and he unwillingly responded to the kiss, leaning up and into the body of stone.

The kiss would have continued, as a questing tongue had convinced Ambrose to part his lips allowing entrance, but his mind came back to him and Ambrose hastily pulled away. A lesser would have punched Cain directly in the face, and finished with a sweeping spin knocked that would have knocked Cain's legs out from under him. But being a more dignified man, Ambrose pushed Cain away, possibly not as gently as he could have, emphasizing his point.

"What is wrong with you?! I am a man of intelligence, not the nearest toy you can use to get over whatever midlife crises you are going through." Ambrose finished his buttons, and hand-combed wet curls quickly. "Tin Man… if you were listening to me at all, you would have realized that what I am going through is addressed in the notes I left, if anyone bothers to read my notes."

Cain remained still, pale eyes seemingly empty.

"Move you lumbering blond beast. I have matters to discuss with the Queen." Ambrose moved towards the door, boots clicking ever so slightly against the hard floor. Pausing for a moment, he rolled his eyes and stepped from the room only to halt a few steps from the door to wait for the ex-Tin Man.

For a moment Cain just stood there, eyes trailing from Glitch's clothes to Ambrose's wardrobe, until he was staring up at the ceiling, trying to understand his own actions.

Cain had entered the room only to be faced with very nice body, not even minding that the top half of the torso was sans voluptuous breasts. Then he spotted the tattoo that was so familiar to him that Cain felt like he had seen it every day of his life. Next thing the Tin Man knew, heat from that body was burning his hand, and Ambrose was speaking.

All Cain could think was that the Advisor spoke to much, and then he was capturing those mobile lips.

Ambrose didn't respond nearly as passionately or quickly as Glitch did, and before it had begun the kiss was over and Cain was being pushed away and yelled at.

There was something wrong with the whole situation, something was wrong between Glitch and Ambrose, and something was wrong with himself as well. Cain knew he was using the Gl-Ambro-… the other man… in his grieving process, but he couldn't stop himself.

Had Cain changed so much after being in that Iron Box for about 15 years that he didn't have the self control he needed? Allowing the question slip away, Cain walked over to the door, and realized that, for whatever reason, Ambrose had waited for him.

Together, the two men walked in silence to meet the Queen.

---- ---- ---- ----

With hand over her eyes, Lavender was trying her best to regain her composure. DG was not helping any by snickering after Cain had almost run out the door.

This whole debacle was frustrating. What people failed to realize was that Ambrose was Lavender's best friend, and while Glitch had quickly earned a place in all of their hearts, he was not Ambrose. He did not have the same intelligence or insight that she desperately needed.

The O.Z was in shambles and Lavender did not know how to start undoing the damage wrought by the Sorceress.

"DG, my angel, will you stop snickering? I know that out of context, the situation is probably dreadfully humorous, but I am terribly worried. I feel another storm rapidly approaching." Before Lavender's statement was question, she raised her hand to pause the words, "Metaphorically speaking, do not worry my darling, you do not have any other siblings that I have yet to inform you about that are going to appear from another world."

Just as Lavender finished speaking, the door opened and presented a well-dressed Glitch.

Rising to her feet, Lavender approached Glitch with a smile on her face. Behind him Mr. Cain entered. The supposedly absentminded man bowed, "My Queen… before you address me as Glitch, let me inform you that I am Ambrose. I believe people may be having some difficulty in telling us apart." Straightening, he saw the confusion on all of their faces, and the hesitation on Lavender's as she didn't know if the statement about telling Glitch and Ambrose apart was serious or if her Advisor was trying to make a joke.

Sighing, a touch of a smile came to Ambrose's lips, one that Lavender knew well.

"Before you begin to fire question at me, as no doubt you all will do, as it is quite obvious that while people read over my notes in the process of how to complete such surgery, they dutifully ignored my notes concerning the side effects. I will explain what is wrong. It was found that when rebraining a person who had only been recently debrained, it was a successful eighty-three out of one hundred times, successes being in majority. I discovered that the longer debrainment lasted the lower the success rate of patients fully recovering."

Ambrose paused for a moment, letting the information sink in.

" I was sure that the Queen was fully aware of the fund being used to compensate a person who suffered the effects of such an error, thus knowing about the issues that would arise with the surgery. But within the midst of study, and through extensive notes that were all available in my desk at Fen Aqua, I discovered a startling detail that should _not_ have gone unchecked. At some point I deduced that eventually a debrained individual would create a separate personality if left without their brain for the extensive amount of time, and that if ever rebrained, they would indeed be host to two personalities. I imagine that the unexplainable side-effect is more commonly referred to as dissociative identity disorder. "

"This means…" DG spoke up, not afraid to admit she wasn't following what Ambrose was saying.

Before Ambrose could address DG's question, Cain spoke up first, "It means, Princess, that we have a problem. In fact we have a rather large problem, a glitch, so to speak."


End file.
